Wikitroid:Use Common Sense

Wikitroid has many rules, the most important of which is to be bold. While you should be bold, you should use common sense when you go about editing. Being too wrapped up in rules can cause loss of perspective, so there are times when it is better to ignore a rule (although rules such as no personal attacks should never be ignored). Even if a contribution violates the precise wording of a rule, it might still be a good contribution. Similarly, just because something is not forbidden in a written document, or is even explicitly permitted, doesn't mean it's a good idea in the given situation. When you release your edits, you open them up to interpretation by other users, which may be negative. If you do not want this, do not submit your work.

Our goal is to improve Wikitroid so that it better informs readers. The principle of the rules—to make Wikitroid thrive—is more important than the letter. Editors must use their best judgment.

The policies of Wikitroid are meant to be enforced to improve the wiki, not for the sake of enforcing the rules. If a rule impedes you from doing something productive, break it, but sparingly and for good reason.

Note that if you believe a rule prevents improvement to Wikitroid in a large number of scenarios and/or has very little benefit, it may be best to instead suggest a change to it or removing it altogether by creating a Request for Comment about the policy. Any change that will affect the wiki as whole should be discussed first in a Request for Comment, as well.

Use common sense when deciding to rename an article, as well. For example, a rename of ULF 15 to "dead bioform" rather than Scarp is too generic as it could apply to any bioform who is dead. However, if it is capitalized as Dead Bioform, it is a viable name if no other alternative is available. Similarly, use specific evidence when attempting to state that one subject in Metroid can be connected to a subject in another work (for example, evidence that Thardus was based on Gorignak in Galaxy Quest). A bad example of this would be stating that both Samus Aran and Commander Shepherd (from Mass Effect) both wear suits of armor.

Citing common sense in an argument

When advancing a position or justifying an action, you should base your argument on existing policies and the interests of Wikitroid, not your own common sense. Exhorting another editor to "just use common sense" is likely to be taken as insulting. If in a particular case you feel that literally following a rule harms the encyclopedia, or that doing something which the rules technically allow degrades it, then instead of telling someone who disagrees to use common sense, just focus on explaining why ignoring the rules will improve Wikitroid in that instance.

Be careful about citing this principle too aggressively. While it's quite acceptable to explain your own actions by saying, "it seemed like common sense to me," you should be careful not to imply that other editors are "lacking" in common sense, which may be seen as uncivil. Editors come from diverse ethnic, religious, political, cultural and ideological backgrounds and have vastly different perceptions regarding everything from science to shoe shopping. Other editors are likely to ascribe very different meanings and values to words and concepts than you, so try to state your arguments as fully as possible. Citing concrete policies and guidelines is likely to be more effective than simply citing "common sense" and leaving it at that.

Certain policies may be intended to affect certain articles or situations, but not others. However, the wording may not always be clear on this. Use discretion to determine what policies are meant to affect what articles. If you think a policy doesn't apply to a specific scenario, explain your reasoning for it. For example, despite not being named by Nintendo, fansites should be exempt from the unknown name policy. "Metroid Database" should not be renamed "Unknown Fansite 1" despite not having confirmation from Nintendo, nor should "Metroid2002" be renamed "the speedrunning community" despite being called that in an interview with Retro Studios.

In discussions revolving around speculation, you should take into consideration the difference between speculation and a logical argument: speculation is merely a theory without evidence, while a logical conclusion uses evidence and/or patterns that suggest an unspecified truth.